2009 Initiative "365 Holy Days" - For the month of August, the "exalted" month, we focus on the Resurrection, the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is imperative to mourn the loss of ourselves, and so in this 21st century in the USA, to grieve the passing of ourselves. If you are not Christian, then you are dead in your trespasses and sins (see Ephesians 2:1); if you are Christian, then it is not you that lives, but Christ that lives within you (see Galatians 2:19, 20). The five steps of grieving are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. This week we focus on step 2 Anger, as we continue through First Corinthians 15, AKA "The Resurrection Chapter".
It Is WELL With My Soul:
- Warm-up: Soda POP! Have learners fill thin plastic bottles with soda and seal the bottles; after the soda has had time to expand the space, release the pressure from the bottle; notice how the thin bottle contracts back to its original shape. This is a perfect illustration of the behavior of anger in ourselves. Proper anger management is imperative!
- Exercise: Am I Angry? Teachers read random statements to learners; have learners reflect if they are or are not angered by the statements, and say why or why not.
- Lesson: Dead Rising (2 of 5): Anger
- Review (First Corinthians 15:20)
- Angry With Adam (First Corinthians 15:21, 22; Genesis 3)
- Angry With Jesus? (First Corinthians 15:23-26; Revelation 3:20; Luke 10:1-4)
- Angry With The Father?? (First Corinthians 15:27, 28; Psalm 8)
- Life application: To be angry is okay! We get into trouble, though, when we mismanage our anger. We must remember that sin itself is the bringer of death, Adam and all of us have made mistakes, we've sinned, and the Father sent Jesus His Son to clean up our mess; just as the setting sun is a picture of Jesus dying for our sins to save us from the second death, so also our anger should be done away upon reflection of Him and His sacrifice. May we pray.